Browsing by Author "Horwitz, Frank"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    A qualitative study of team-based self-management in a Southern African organization
    (2003) Sibanda, Babusi Michael; Horwitz, Frank
    A Southern African (Zimbabwean) nickel refinery's team-based employee involvement initiative is studied using a qualitative, single case design with the objective of describing, understanding and characterising a Self Directed Work Team's experience in its context. It is found, through a variety of triangulated case study methods, that the selected team's work, and its members' perception of it, have changed significantly from traditional 'foreman supervised' and ' gang-leader driven' organization to relatively informed decision making, objective driven, multi-skilled teamwork. Findings are analysed in the light of international and Southern African literature and case studies of enterprise level, team-based employee involvement in work related decision making. Context considerations, in understanding the team and its potential for self direction were found to be pervasive. The initiative was found to be part of a bundle of complementary interventions that top management perceived to be organizational survival imperatives. Successful implementation was largely limited to the Smelter and Refinery Business Units (BSR Ltd) which were led by a succession of dynamic and committed senior line managers. The failure to diffuse the initiative to the rest of the organization (the organization's mining division) was blamed on the departure of the key sponsor as well as wider corporate and societal systemic constraints. The contextualised study suggests ways of seeing, and possibly going beyond the claimed and real constraints.
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    Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment : a human capital development approach
    (2007) Mbabane, Loyiso Mzisi; Horwitz, Frank
    This study develops a theoretical framework for Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, using a Human Capital Development approach. This framework is then employed to evaluate the Codes of Good Practice on Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) (Department of Trade and Industry, 2005; 2007). A 'mixed methods research approach' is utilized, in some kind of triangulation. Three research methods are used starting with focus groups; then content analysis and finally descriptive analysis. Phase one utilizes focus groups to construct the key elements of the Draft BBBEE Scorecard for Employment Equity; Skills Development and Organisational Transformation (2005). In phase two, content analysis (documentation analysis) is applied to compare and contrast the draft BBBEE Scorecard of 2005 with the final BBBEE Scorecard of 2007, using the human capital development framework for the propositions. The third phase is designed to test proposition three, which enquires into the actual implementation of BBBEE by employers. This phase utilizes secondary data from various official reports of the Commission for Employment Equity (2000-2007) to measure the nature and extent of progress on Employment Equity; Skills Development and Management Control by employers, in relation to the BBBEE policy and its targets. The BBBEE Scorecards for Employment Equity and Skills Development are found to be generally in line with human capital development principles. The Organisational Transformation Index that was in the 2005 Draft BBBEE Scorecard is found to be a useful mechanism for moving away from a transaction-based approach to BBBEE toward a transformation-based approach. To this effect, the absence of the Organisational Transformation Index in the final Codes and Scorecards of 2007 is lamented. A recommendation is made for more emphasis to be placed on the transformation of companies/ organisations. The leadership role of Chief Executive Officers and their top management in the BBBEE process is propagated. At the leadership level, the Transformational Leadership approach is posited as the one that holds a better chance of driving BBBEE successfully. Quo Vadis; the study recommends two different theoretical frameworks; a Human Capital Development framework for BBBEE at the macro-level (national policy and strategy) and the Transformational Leadership-Organisational Transformation one at the micro-level. BBBEE, it is held; ought to be integrated into the country's new National Industrial Policy Framework. Conversely, the BBBEE targets and goals should also be aligned to the country's long-term socio-economic growth strategies.
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    Contextual quality, performance management practice and member outcomes favourability : evidence from a study of South African and Ugandan organisations
    (2010) Magoola, Isaac Wanzige; Horwitz, Frank
    Available literature on literacy for development concentrates on the role of various literacy forms at individual and community levels despite organisations constituting major units in any national development effort. At organisational level, due to the recency of organisational learning theory, there is no comprehensive model of how people, organisations and nations can become performance literate. This study investigated the effect of contextual quality on performance management practice and member outcomes favourability and developed models for the creation of performance literate organisations and nations.
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    The effect of organisational structure and managerial practices on the clinical behaviour and job satisfaction of primary health care doctors, as knowledge workers, in the managed health care industry in South Africa
    (2002) Pillay, Rubin; Horwitz, Frank
    The financial crisis in the South African health care industry has forced participants in the industry to look for ways to contain costs. The subsequent deregulation of the private sector has resulted in the introduction and rapid growth of managed health care. This shift to a new paradigm were cost-effectiveness is a prerogative, has major implications for the doctor workforce. Due to concerns about the potential negative impact of this philosophy of health care delivery on the recruitment, retention and motivation of medical doctors, this study investigated the effect of managed care on their clinical performance and job satisfaction. A cross-sectional survey on a probability sample of 2023 general practitioners throughout South Africa was conducted using a mailed questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency measures were used to assess the instrument's validity and reliability. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical models were used to evaluate the organisational structures and managerial practices associated with managed care, and to assess the impact of these on the clinical freedom and job satisfaction of the respondents.
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    An investigation into the link between Human Resource Management practices and service-orientated behaviour in South African service organisations
    (2003) Browning, Victoria; Horwitz, Frank
    In line with global trends in the economy, the service industry is making an increasingly important contribution to South Africa's economy. In order to stay competitive in both the international and national economies, service organisations in South Africa face numerous challenges that have resulted from a country living through 40 years of Apartheid. A key challenge is the lack of skilled labour at both managerial and worker levels in organisations compounded by the need to manage a highly diverse workforce with different needs and expectations. Frontline employees form an integral part of the service offering of any service organisation and they carry the responsibility of projecting the image of the organisation and of creating a satisfying service experience for the customer. Service organisations can gain competitive advantage through the effective mobilisation of these employees through high quality human resource management practices. This study aims to investigate the link between human resource management (HRM) practices in service organisations in South Africa and the service-orientated behaviour of frontline employees and the role played by organisational commitment in this relationship. Seven HRM practices were investigated, namely selection, training and human resource development, pay and rewards, performance appraisal and management support. The study focused on three service industries in South Africa, namely hospitality, retail and car rental. The four South African organisations that participated in the research are currently regarded as market leaders in each of their industries.
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    The strategic development of a health care organisation : a longitudinal study of the South African physiotherapy profession, 1971 to 2000
    (2003) Bowerbank, Pat; Horwitz, Frank
    This research focuses specifically on the South African physiotherapy profession, that societal institution which is primarily concerned with health, illness and the physical elements of movement In the human body. Together with South African society as a whole this Institution has experienced monumental changes over the last 30 years. The objective of this research is to describe and critically evaluate the nature, direction and depth of those changes for the South African physiotherapy profession. To this end the research attempts to Identify some of the broad political and societal trends in the macroenvironment, and to contextualise these within the healthcare environment and the physiotherapy profession. The main argument is that social circumstances determine not only the health of the population, but also the health care services and how health care professionals function In society (Benatar, 1997). Health care services and how health care professional's function in society are socially constructed phenomena and therefore there are marked differences in the way health care is delivered from country to country and one political system to another. Over the past decade, management research has increasingly paid attention to the manner in which organisations work to Influence and shape their environments (Lawrence, 1999). A central Issue has become the manner in which organisational environments are constituted, reproduced and transformed through organisational action and relationships.
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    Trade union consultation by employers under employment equity legislation
    (2005) Horwitz, Frank
    The challenge of globalisation and increasing competition has sparked a debate on whether national policy-makers and organisations are capable of ensuring that historically disadvantaged groups gain greater representation in organisations. A similar challenge is that of affording equality of opportunity to members of increasingly diverse labour forces in the global economy. The juxtaposition of the dual imperatives of competitiveness and high performance on the one hand, and workplace justice and equity on the other is especially challenging in an emergent market like South Africa. In this country a redress of past discrimination in the labour market in respect of skills development, and discriminatory employment practices has to take place without prejudice to the need for associated productivity improvement and increased global competitiveness (Webster & Omar 2003). These twin imperatives tend to be perceived as mutually exclusive by certain employers, but it is argued here that it is important to redress discrimination while at the same time boosting productivity if a high-skill economic model is to be followed. Particularly relevant is the nature and extent of trade union involvement in these processes, which is the focus of this study.